The results demonstrate the significance of child-environment interaction. The children's attitudes towards device usage are influenced by their perceptions of the contextual feature of both settings. Additionally, the results indicate that children's views about their assistive devices may be different from those of adult users due to their different developmental stages and unique personal experiences. The findings suggest the importance of children's active participation in the field of assistive device research.
This study aimed to explore the experiences of employers who had long-term experiences with employing people with disabilities in Taiwan. In-depth qualitative interviews were adopted as the main data collection instrument. The participants included 12 Taiwanese employers in the private enterprise sector with 2 or more years of experience hiring employees with disabilities beyond the required employment quota enacted by the Taiwanese government. The results identified four main reasons that led to hiring, including personal experience relating to people with disabilities, economic concerns, charitable perspectives, and policy implications. Although the employers were highly willing to collaborate with vocational rehabilitation systems, their needs for services rendered differed in the distinct employment processes. Employers expressed greater concern about the employability of applicants with disabilities during the recruitment and selection process than during the placement and accommodation stages. Barriers to career advancement for individuals with disabilities were indicated. This study underscores the importance of demand-driven employment strategies and highlights the need to gain insights into the experiences of employers who actually work with people with disabilities. The implications of the findings for rehabilitation practitioners are discussed.
The results highlight the need, when considering the usability of assistive devices, to take into account three interactive factors, namely, the personal, device and environmental factors. They also demonstrate the importance of taking children's different developmental stages and unique personal experiences into consideration in understanding the influence of assistive device intervention for children with cerebral palsy.
Aim
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between vocational rehabilitation services provided and work outcomes among people with cerebral palsy (CP), taking in to account demographic characteristics.
Method
From the US Department of Education Rehabilitation Service Administration Case Service Report (RSA‐911) database, data from 3162 individuals with CP (1820 males [57.6%] and 1342 females [42.4% age range 16–54y) whose cases were closed in 2009, were used in this study. A total of 1567 cases (49.6%) were closed with clients being categorized as ‘successful employment’ and 1595 cases (50.4%) were closed with clients being classified as unemployed.
Results
Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between services provided and work outcomes with regard to demographic characteristics. Males aged between 26 and 54 years old with higher education attainment were more likely to be employed. Individuals receiving disability benefits were less likely to be employed. After controlling for the effect of demographic and work disincentive variables, five vocational rehabilitation services significantly predicted employment outcomes (p<0.05), including (1) on‐the‐job training; (2) job placement assistance; (3) on‐the‐job support; (4) maintenance services; and (5) rehabilitation technology.
Interpretation
Medical and health professionals need to be aware of vocational rehabilitation agencies as a resource for providing medical, psychological, educational, and vocational interventions for adults with CP to help them maximize their employability, to address their much needed work adjustment skills, to establish independent living, and to eventually reach their full potential in participation in society.
The findings not only demonstrate the significance of child-environment interaction but also provide evidence that children's views may be different from those of adults because they are at a different developmental stage and act out different roles in their environment.
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